Penchant for heels
by Maxsprincess
Summary: Zash one shot about the dinner we were promised all those months ago. It was just too tempting not to write one.


Zoe checked her makeup for what must have been the twentieth time in as many minutes. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous - it was the aftermath of a bet and some mild chemistry rather than anything more thrilling - but the butterflies in her stomach that she was desperately trying to ignore clearly thought otherwise. After so many months of varying degrees of friendship, annoyance and flirting, Zoe was almost letting herself think it might be going somewhere. Ash had delighted in reminding her that she was paying for the night, but a girl was allowed to dream, and if nothing else it would keep her mind off the endless drama of the ED.

"Sorry, I think my friend's already here?" Ash's voice drifted across the room and snapped her out of her reverie. Glancing in her mirror one last time, she waved him over, chewing her lip as she watched him weave through the other tables. The room was dimly lit and there was some faint jazz music coming from the next room - all in all, it was more romantic that she'd first hoped, but as he made his way over she was becoming more and more grateful of their surroundings.

"I thought you'd stood me up." She smiled as he slid into the seat opposite, pouring them both a large glass of wine. Ash grinned apologetically in reply, shrugging off his jacket.

"I didn't realise how long it took to find a shirt that didn't have body fluids on." He laughed as she groaned and raised his glass in a mock toast. "To the ED and all it's leaking inhabitants." Rolling her eyes, Zoe lifted her glass to his and echoed him, closing her eyes briefly as she took a sip. When she reopened them, she caught Ash gazing at her and felt a blush creeping up her neck.

"What?" She raised a hand self consciously to her lips, brushing off any stray drops of wine before remembering her carefully applied lipstick.

"Sorry, it's just - you look beautiful tonight." His voice was low, as though he was sharing some dark secret, and the butterflies in Zoe's stomach surged suddenly, their presence now impossible to deny.

"Charmer." Zoe sat back in her chair, surveying Ash over the rim of her glass. "So is this where you take all the pretty girls?" She grinned as he raised his eyebrow - it had been along time since she'd had someone to flirt with and she'd forgotten how much she enjoyed it.

"Only the ones who pay." He replied, laughing as she swatted him across the table. Their conversation turned to safer ground for the next hour or so - colleagues, past jobs, even music taste. Zoe could feel herself relaxing more than she had done in months; for once, the irrepressible image of Nick Jordan wasn't lurking in the back of her mind. At some point her right foot had made it's way underneath the table and was now trailing Ash's trouser leg. Feeling brave, Zoe lent across the table, grinning as his gaze dropped briefly before returning to her face.

"So tell me. Any dark secrets I should know about? Any twisted little fantasies?" Her voice dropped slightly and she took a sip from his glass. She had drunk much more than was wise but the heat radiating off Ash and the darkened room was making it hard not to feel slightly reckless.

"Everyone has secrets." Ash paused briefly as she slipped her foot under his trouser and traced the curve of his calf with her toes, a low murmur escaping his lips. "But as for fantasises - " he lent forward and for a split second Zoe though he was about to kiss her, before he dropped his head to whisper against her ear. "I've always had a penchant for heels." His lips ghosted across her neck and she tilted her head back, slowly removing her foot from is trousers before pressing it against his groin, pushing down slightly on the heel.

"Is that a fact?" She grinned as he groaned, so quietly that if he hadn't been so close to her ear she wouldn't have heard it. His head dipped and he did kiss her this time, trailing a path down from her ear to the low neckline of her dress and Zoe was suddenly very grateful for their secluded corner table.

"So what about you, Dr. Hanna? What have you got hidden away?" Ash's teeth scraped her collarbones as he spoke and she could barely focus enough to reply.

"Everyone has secrets." She echoed his words as he pulled away at the arrival of a waiter. Biting her lip, she paid the bill as quickly as she could, brushing off his protests. "A bet's a bet." As they made their way back to the car park, Zoe was acutely aware of every movement he made - every touch felt like a caress, every word an echoing promise of the night ahead. Only when they reached her car did she turn to face him, leaning against the door with her hands pressed against the metal either side of her.

"I'm not sure either of us are in a fit state to drive." He said, reaching up to the zip at the front of her dress almost absent-mindedly, and her breath caught in her throat as he edged it down slowly. He moved forward so his legs were either side of her body, raising his free hand to her waist. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this." He whispered, his eyes locking with hers. Zoe raised an eyebrow questioningly, but was answered moments later when his lips crashed against her, the hand on her waist slamming her against the car and his legs pressed vice-like against her thighs. As quickly as it had begun he pulled away, resting his forehead against hers and breathing heavily. The zip of her dress had been pulled down almost to the bottom of her ribs, and at some point her arms had looped round his shoulders. They paused for a minute, both slightly stunned at the sudden outburst of passion before Zoe glanced up at him through his eyelashes, grinning, and pulled him down towards her. Amidst the frantic fumbling, Ash managed to unzip her dress with one hand and open the door behind Zoe with the other, laughing as she fell back onto the back seat and hooked her legs around his waist, pulling him with her.

"I've had more romantic dinners." She said breathlessly as he pinned her against the leather, his mouth trailing across her stomach and her nails scraping against his back. In reply, he bit down hard on her hip and she gasped, gripping onto the back of the seat.

"I didn't realise you were one for romance." He murmured, pulling away and pushing himself above her as high as the low car roof would allow. "I can slow down if you'd like." Grinning, he gazed down at her as she writhed in frustration at the sudden lack of friction, her chest heaving and her shoes scraping against the door.

"Shut up and kiss me." She hissed, arching her back towards him as he obeyed, ducking down once more and resting a hand against the window to steady himself, their teeth clashing and his lips bruising.

The following morning, Zoe woke in a foreign, but undeniably comfy bed. She scanned the unfamiliar room - it was large, sparsely furnished but homely - and caught sight of her dress draped over a nearby chair and her shoes neatly stashed by the door, a packet of cigarettes and a towel next to them.

"Morning." Ash appeared in the doorway, his own towel wrapped around his waist. "Sleep well?" He padded over to her, sitting on the edge of the bed, and Zoe shifted slightly, smiling at how awkward he looked as he messed with the hem of his towel.

"Very well, thanks." She let the duvet drop slightly - if he had been in charge last night, she was taking this morning as hers. Sitting forward, she crooked a finger under his chin and dragged him towards her gently. "You have an incredibly comfy bed." She murmured, tilting her head so her lips were almost brushing his. It was almost too easy - chewing her lip softly she pulled him on top of him, a grin slowly unfurling as she watched him stumbled slightly on the pillows. "You smell delicious." She whispered against his neck, pushing herself up against him. It felt like they'd been doing this forever; the feel of him, the taste, smell, sight, everything felt so right. Every time he touched her she felt revered - with Nick, there had been more passion than love at times, their doomed fate clear only when they stopped and so they never did. But this...despite the wild, at times uncontrollable moments last night, this felt as though she could press pause at any moment and he'd be content to wait, for however long she needed.

"What are you thinking about?" Ash's voice was muffled slightly as he nuzzled her hair, his arms tightening slightly around her waist. The pair were stood in the middle of their new apartment, surrounded by boxes and overlooking the twinkling lights of Holby.

"Everything." Zoe turned in his arms, smiling as the ring on her finger glinted in the late sunlight. "Everything."

**Ahhh it's taken me so long to do this! I'm a Zax girl but I think Zoe and Ash would be amazing so I just had to write one. Hope you like it, go ahead and R&R pretty please?**


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